Woopen Creek, Queensland

Woopen Creek Queensland
Woopen Creek Road, Woopen Creek, 2018
Woopen Creek
Coordinates	17°28′22″S145°52′33″E / 17.4727°S 145.8758°E / -17.4727; 145.8758 (Woopen Creek (centre of locality))
Population	141 (2016 census) [1]
• Density	5.281/km2 (13.68/sq mi)
Postcode(s)	4871
Elevation	10–404 m (33–1,325 ft)
Area	26.7 km2 (10.3 sq mi)
Time zone	AEST (UTC+10:00)
Location	18.8 km (12 mi) SSW of Babinda 27.6 km (17 mi) WNW of Innisfail 76.9 km (48 mi) S of Cairns 287 km (178 mi) NNW of Townsville 1,622 km (1,008 mi) NNW of Brisbane
LGA(s)	Cairns Region
State electorate(s)	Hill
Federal division(s)	Kennedy
Suburbs around Woopen Creek: Wooroonooran Bartle Frere Eubenangee Waugh Pocket Wooroonooran Woopen Creek Ngatjan Wooroonooran Ngatjan Ngatjan

Woopen Creek is a rural locality in the Cairns Region, Queensland, Australia. ^[2] In the 2016 census, Woopen Creek had a population of 141 people. ^[1]

Geography

Russell River, boundary between Woopen Creek (foreground) and Bartle Frere (background), 2018

Banana farming along Woopen Creek Road, Woopen Creek, 2018

The Russell River forms the northern boundary of the locality while mountainous regions form its other boundaries. There are two flatter valleys formed by Woopen Creek in the southern part of locality and Vorris Creek in the northern part of the locality. Although the land is predominantly freehold, only the flatter valleys are developed for use for agriculture while the more mountainous areas remain undeveloped. The principal agricultural use is growing sugarcane and bananas. ^[3]

Although the Bruce Highway does not pass through the locality,

Mount Mirinjo ( 17°30′18″S145°51′50″E / 17.505°S 145.8638°E / -17.505; 145.8638 (Mount Mirinjo) ) in the Francis Range is in the southernmost part of locality, close to the boundary with Ngatjan. It is 404 metres (1,325 ft) above sea level compared with approximately 10 metres (33 ft) above sea level at the northernmost part of the locality. ^[4]

History

By 1940, residents of Woopen Creek had agitated for some years to have a school in their district. ^[5] In November 1941 tenders were called to erect the school. ^[6] However, the school was not built at this time, probably because the fear of a Japanese invasion in 1942 resulted in the closure of schools in coastal areas and reserving all construction materials exclusively for military purposes. ^{[7] [8]} In March 1951 residents made another attempt to establish a school at Woopen Creek. ^{[9] [10]} In 1951 the Queensland Government decided relocate the school building from Nerada State School (which closed in 1945) to establish Woopen Creek State School. ^[11] The school opened on 4 February 1952. It closed on 8 December 1967. ^[12]

In 2005 the Broken Nose Vanilla farm was established, an example of a wider trend of diversifying the agriculture of the Cairns region. ^{[13] [14]}

In the 2016 census, Woopen Creek had a population of 141 people. ^[1]

Education

There are no schools in Woopen Creek. The nearest primary schools are Bartle Frere State School in neighbouring Bartle Frere to the north and Mirriwinni State School in Mirriwinni to the north-east. The nearest secondary school is Babinda State School (Prep-12) in Babinda to the north-east. ^[3]

References

1. Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Woopen Creek (SSC)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 20 October 2018.
2. "Woopen Creek – locality in Cairns Region (entry 48941)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 18 September 2020.
3. "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland . Retrieved 1 October 2020.
4. "Mount Mirinjo – mountain in Cairns Regional (entry 22263)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government . Retrieved 18 September 2020.
5. "BARTLE FRERE NOTES". Cairns Post . No. 12, 030. Queensland, Australia. 9 September 1940. p. 8. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020– via National Library of Australia.
6. "Advertising". Cairns Post . No. 12, 405. Queensland, Australia. 24 November 1941. p. 1. Retrieved 1 October 2020– via National Library of Australia.
7. "Children in wartime". Queensland WWII Historic Places. Queensland Government. 30 June 2014. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
8. "Industry". Queensland WWII Historic Places. Queensland Government. 30 June 2014. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
9. "BABINDA NOTES". Cairns Post . No. 15, 289. Queensland, Australia. 9 March 1951. p. 7. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020– via National Library of Australia.
10. "CHLORINATION OF WATER SUPPLY AT GORDONVALE". Cairns Post . No. 15, 321. Queensland, Australia. 17 April 1951. p. 5. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020– via National Library of Australia.
11. "Removal of Nerada School". Cairns Post . No. 15, 500. Queensland, Australia. 12 November 1951. p. 5. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020– via National Library of Australia.
12. Queensland Family History Society (2010), Queensland schools past and present (Version 1.01 ed.), Queensland Family History Society, ISBN   978-1-921171-26-0
13. Sherrington, Matt (20 November 2015). "Vanilla slice of life paying off". North Queensland Register. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
14. "Cane growers diversify to survive". ABC News . 31 August 2007. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 1 October 2020.

Further reading

• Bartle Frere State School (1982), Bartle Frere State School, 1922 1982, diamond jubilee 3rd July, 1982, Bartle Frere State School, Jubilee Committee — Incorporating Memories of Woopen Creek State School 1952-1967.

External links

Media related to Woopen Creek, Queensland at Wikimedia Commons